Western Australia: The Ideal Destination for Healthcare Professionals

28 Feb 2023

Western Australia is, indeed, a natural wonder. Geographically exceeding 2.5 million square kilometres, with its vastness of rural and remote regions coupled with 20,000km of coastline, it is not surprising that it boasts an eclectic range of opportunities: both personally and professionally.

Undoubtedly, the pandemic brought into sharp focus the challenges for frontline healthcare but at the same time it shone a light on significant opportunities. Certainly, it has led many people to consider whether a sea-change, or a tree-change, or an outback-change might be due.  Between the beaches and the expanse of rural or remote areas, Western Australia offers uniquely exciting living, working and travelling experiences, particularly for healthcare professionals.

When considering the “life” part of “work-life balance”, living in rural and remote settings creates a solid base for relaxation and rejuvenation. For example, The Pilbara (approximately 6 times the size of Tasmania) boasts the beautiful gorges of Karijini National Park, and the oasis Millstream-Chichester National Park. Stunning landscapes provide opportunity to simply dwell, or indulge in hobbies such as 4WD, camping and photography.  Alternatively, if boating or fishing is your passion, the beaches and islands of the Pilbara are breathtaking.  More than one million people visit the Pilbara each year; a testament to its beauty and recreational appeal.

Professionally speaking, taking a rural and remote role no longer means working with outdated` tools, in physically less favourable settings. Quite the contrary in fact. While country health placements have always had the reputation for providing greater exposure to challenging scenarios, and the associated upskilling, use of technology such as ETS (emergency telehealth services) has strengthened the symbiotic relationship between nursing and medical staff. Nurses now have unique opportunity to become the assessing and treating hands of the doctor in safe and supported environments. In this working relationship, nurses are both supported and respected by the doctors, as the team works together to achieve best patient-centred outcomes. Undoubtedly, “the country” also often provides opportunities to fast-track your career progression.

In a fast-paced, and sometimes impersonal world, rural practice provides other unique opportunities. The potential for involvement in a patient’s care from emergency presentation, all the way through to discharge is a professional development privilege.  Furthermore, health professionals in country settings respected by the communities they live in, developing strong connections, and experiencing a real sense of the difference great healthcare can make.

We are seeing and hearing it more and more that healthcare professionals are contemplating a change of environment.  If you’re searching for a chance to explore the outback, the Western Australian Country Health Service has several exceptional job openings, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a significant impact on the health and wellness of rural communities. The available positions are:

If you are interested in these or other potential exciting executive roles in Western Australia, please contact our Executive Director Search and recruitment, Lynette Boerth at LBoerth@hardygroupintl.com

Read more about Western Australia Country Health Service here.